'Blessing Blaze' by Ugwu Lawrence Enenche

Alfred and Michael were in Ojobo-Akparu Public Library reading newspapers and discussing about wealth and economy of the nation with two other middle age men. One of the men who identified himself as James has a stout figure. He was fat and kinky like a woman.

He looked at every one that entered the library with determined attraction. His voice was husky and fluent.

‘I’ve discovered that academic pursuit is very good but if you are not creative or develop your ideas and potentials, you would be a pauper in life. I have a master degree in political science but my degree can’t cater for my needs. Academic certificates are of little values these days. Only creative ideas and potentials can take one to a higher height,’ James said.

‘I’m thinking of writing a book. I want to be a novelist,’ Michael dreamt enthusiastically.

‘My brother that is a good idea, if you become a novelist, the whole world would celebrate you,’ James commended.

‘I want to venture into business. I want to be an electronics dealer,’ Alfred aspired.

They continued discussing about their ambitions and people who became wealthy through ideas and creativity. One of the library attendants warned them against noise-making and they lowered their voices doing more of the discussion with hands than mouth.

‘Are you a student?’ the second middle age man asked Alfred. He kept quiet for a moment ignoring the man and opening pages of newspaper. ‘Both of us are students of chemical engineering,’ Michael answered. The man nodded his head and looked at Alfred as if expecting him to confirm the claims of Michael. Michael looked at Alfred and kept quiet. He flipped pages of newspapers humming a song he was listening to through earphones.

Cat-walked into the library was a pretty lady looking so luscious. Her figure was that which you find embedded in the minds of men who have as core pastime the thought of women and their appeal. Her long glossy hair dangling unapologetically framed a stunning face.

Her light skin was fresh and spotless. Her lips full and succulent and she was like a pure marble, attractive and sexy. Her breasts stood erect, the nipples threatening to burst out of the red thin top that held tightly to her skin. Her blue jeans matched her snugly. Her gold-plated wristwatch and gleaming pair of earrings were a delight to behold.

Michael looked at her until he was lost from his mind. It took a rough patting from Alfred to bring him to his senses. James and Alfred laughed, making every effort to resist their eyes from following the willowy belle. ‘Beauty queen,’ Alfred muted.

The lady went and sat on a chair, about twenty feet away from the newspapers’ stand. She smoothed her hair and flipped through the pages of the exercise book she came with. ‘I love this lady,’ Michael said looking often at her. Others kept quiet a moment and James burst out with laughter. ‘Love is wicked,’ he sang and told Michael that the greatest challenge to developing potentials, ideas and talents is lust after women. ‘Any time you are gathering ideas in your mind and a lust for woman pierced into your heart, it set all ablaze,’ he added. Michael became still as if thinking over what James said.

‘Women are the problems of men,’ Michael said and shook his head.

‘If one can take the lust for women away and endure sexual quest, he would certainly go higher in life,’ James pointed out.

‘The problem is that man is not created to live without woman. So when you see some drop-dead queens, you can’t hold it,’ Michael said.

‘That is where discipline comes in, love and sex is the only thing I know that awaits everyone at all ages. Both old and young are enjoying it,’ James’ friend added.

‘May God help us,’ Alfred said wanly.

The lady was reading and smiling as if she heard what the guys were discussing. She smoothed her hair and chewed gum slowly. One of the boys in the library went and greeted her, doing the greetings more with smiles than words.

They smiled at each other talking in low voices. Michael was angry with the boy and wished to be the one talking with the lady. ‘What is that stupid guy telling her,’ he muted expecting no response. Alfred looked at James and both of them laughed. ‘Why are you angry with him? Is she your wife? You don’t know her before, do you?’ James said hilariously.

Michael kept quiet and bowed his head avoiding the sight of the young lady and the guy discussing. He stood up and went to the toilet to ease himself. Alfred buried his face in the newspaper and laughed. ‘I don’t think he is going to the toilet to urinate, he wants to ejaculate,’ James’ friend said and they all laughed.

Alfred’s Blackberry phone rang and he went out to receive the call. ‘Mummy, we are about to write exam and I need about twenty thousand to buy books and other exam materials. I’m also sick of fever,’ he told the caller. The caller prayed for him and promised to send the money the following week.

He returned to the library and met Michael sitting down with balls of sweat all over his forehead. He looked at him deeply and smiled faintly. ‘Is it just the urination that brought out all these sweats or you did something more than that?’ he asked and sat down opening pages of a newspaper. Michael let out a faint smile and kept quiet, his face caught between lust and desire. ‘What is the toilet meant for?’ he asked with a stern voice. A ray of disenchantment clouded his face. ‘If toilet is meant for other things, then I did them,’ he continued. Alfred kept quiet and silence rent the air for a moment.

The lady stood up and adjusted her blue jeans trouser. She drew down the skinny red top to her buttock and carried her handbag. Michael walked out in hurry before her and waited at the threshold. He heard the sound of her shoe and walked a distance away from the threshold. She walked out and went to a garden behind the library.

She sat on a moulded cement chair and browsed through her phone. She gazed at Michael who was ambling leisurely towards her and shook her head. She opened her handbag and brought out a handkerchief. She wiped her face with it and made a phone call which didn’t go through.

Michael stood before her and greeted with uncontrolled smiles. He wanted to sit beside her and, as if was held back by an unseen hand; he got up before his bottom could touch the chair. He robbed his chin with his fingers.

‘You might have heard this before but I want to tell you the truth, not with any hidden intention. You are beauty personified. Among all the ladies in this campus, there is none that can equate your beauty. Your beauty is beyond what words can describe. I crowned you the new miss world,’ he glorified her.

‘Thank you for the compliment,’ she said looking at his shoe.

‘Angel, please can I sit down?’

‘The chair is not mine. You are free to sit down, but I don’t want any discussion. I’m waiting for my sweetheart and he would soon arrive.’

‘Okay, that is nice. But can you give me a minute of your time?’

‘What do you want to use it for?’

‘Just to say a word to you.’

‘But you’ve already said more than a word to me.’

‘I beg of you, just a minute and I will say my heart to you.’

‘I don’t have time for that. I told you I have a man in my life and I’m in love with him. He is also in love with me,’ she hissed.

‘Angel, please don’t be offended. It is just that I . . . ’

‘Excuse me, I’m not your angel,’ she frowned.

‘Don’t be offended sweetheart. Sorry for not introducing myself to you since. I’m Michael by name, a five hundred level student of human anatomy. Please, can I know your name?’

‘Blessing.’

‘That is a beautiful name. I wish you bless me with many blessings.’

She kept quiet and looked at her wristwatch.

‘I’m very sorry dear; please forgive me if I have offended you,’ he said looking at her lecherously.

She rested her chin in her hand looking into the air. He was expecting her to talk but she kept mute.

‘Dear, please can I have your mobile number,’ he whispered with doubt in his voice.

‘I don’t give my phone numbers to people. Please go, I told you I’m waiting for somebody and I don’t want him to come and meet you here.’

‘I understand you babe, but please can I have your facebook username so that I can send you greetings once in a while. Please Blessing,’ he begged, looking innocent.

‘Blessing Blaze. Go now and don’t disturb me again.’

‘Thank you very much. See you next time,’ he said and returned to the library.

He met Alfred and others discussing the harms women have caused the human race and he looked away as if he couldn’t hear them. He buried his attention in a newspaper and put earphones in his ears. ‘From Bible time till this day, women have been causing the downfall of men,’ James said and shook his head.

He cast a glance at Michael and pressed the keypads of his mobile phone. ‘Adam fell because of Eve; Rebecca stole Esau’s birthright and gave it to Jacob, Job’s wife told him to curse God, David fell because of Bathsheba, King Solomon fell because he was in love with strange women, and Ananias died because his wife manipulated him to lie against the Holy Spirit, Samson died because of woman, Eli and his household perished because his sons slept with women in the temple, Ahab and his family were destroyed because of Jezebel,’ James continued with a sense of jealousy. Michael was dancing with his head to the euphonious music from his mobile phone and was not attentive at all to their discussion.

A flickering Toyota Matrix pulled up in front of the garden where Blessing was. The driver’s door smoothly opened and a left leg tucked in a light blue jeans and shiny black leather shoe stepped on the ground. The driver soon came out. He was every campus girl’s ideal lover; good looking and classy. He was fair in complexion with a small round mouth and smelt rich. An artistic line of moustache amplified his handsomeness.

His hair was cut low and shapely. He looked cute and gorgeous, but his eyes had in them viciousness that was beyond description. A broad skin-belt with a big golden buckle dazzled in his waist. In front of his thick black open-necked T-shirt was an inscription in red that reads “On Point.”

He walked majestically towards Blessing who was already on her feet carrying her handbag from the moulded chair. ‘How was your day darling?’ he greeted her. She hugged him and gave him a peck on the cheek. ‘My day is glorious sweetie,’ she smiled broadly and laid her right hand on his chest. They walked to the car and he opened the door for her.

She got in and sat down with rays of glamour. He drove away speedily stirring the dust that covered the tarred road.

Ugwu Lawrence Enencheis a prolific writer and reputable researcher on African literature and folklore. He has a bachelor degree on English literature from Ahmadu Bello university and master's degree on English literature from Bayero university, Kano. He is the author of Gone With Love, Just After Dawn, and A Talking Dream. You can shoot him an email ugwulawlaw@gmail.com, follow him on Twitter: Lawrence Enenche/Instagram: Ugwu1.

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